Binocular loupe

My dentist uses a binocular loupe, made by Zeiss, which he thinks cost about £2000. At the other extreme, there are these. Somewhat cheaper...

Anyone have any experience of these? Particularly with the attached LED spotlight, they are just a bit more than I would gamble on - but they don't have to be perfect if they help with fine work. Or similar devices from other sources at reasonable prices?

Edited By Nealeb on 14/01/2021 19:31:00

Hi,

They look like they may be okay but I have no experience of them.

Here is a link to some that are in the UK.

eBay link

At least you could return them if they are no good.

Regards.

David.

Best of luck in getting your money back.

You can return them, but at buyer's expense and the seller's in China.

I think it depends on the magnification you are looking for. I have a set of these. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XYYCFRP

They work OK for High magnification work, but you don't get binocular vision. The focal distance is too short for both eyes to see the object.

For binocular vision I use a pair of strong reading glasses (x3.5), with a flip up set of magnifying readers clipped on top (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reading-Glasses-Magnifying-Magnifiers-Readers/dp/B07WW3J4ZN).

The readers are stronger than my reading prescription, and give nice magnification about 12-24" away. I can see things on the bench 3-4ft away, but looking for stuff across the workshop means swapping to my regular glasses. With the extra lenses flipped down (mine are x2.5) vision is highly magnified at 4-8" but beyond about foot all is a blur.

I find the combination great. Flip down to see when the cutter just touches the work, flip up to watch the machining.

I suspect the reason your friends are so expensive is that they give High magnification at long working distances - and that needs specialised optics.

Edited By Peter Cook 6 on 14/01/2021 21:45:11

I have several lsmall oupes with LED lights, they are good for very short distances. I have also one similar (or possibly the same) as that in Nealeb's link. One problem with these is that it is difficult to adjust the lenses to point at an angle (hope you know what I mean) so that they focus at one point, the other is they are very heavy. Even with the rubber ribbon they don't keep position in front of the eyes. I have also very different sight between left and right eye, that's another problem. The adjustable light is good - well at least one positive remark!

Regards,
Hans

I use a head mounted magnifyer with LED light and 5 interchangeable lenses

**LINK**

As said, the cost of named optical Loues is because they are made from glass lenses. The other type described are plastic and are mass produced maybe in China.

The named Loupe by Zeiss made specially for Dental and medical work are special and fully corrected for optical errors and colour correction.

Leica also make medical and dental optics and the prices are horrendous for the likes of us.

I made sighting optics to fit on the side of long range Infra Red measuring systems and the little 4 x scope was £400.

A leica T2 Collimator is £2000 plus, but allows focus from infinity to just 2 or 3 mtrs.

These scopes are panalactic where the field of view does not change as you focus.